British Elections Are Seen
Altering Regional Powers

Long one of Europe's most centralized nations, Britain ushered in a new era of regional government Thursday with elections to a new Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly.

Detailed election results were not expected until sometime on Friday, due to a complex voting system that for the first time introduces a limited form of proportional representation. Scottish and Welsh voters each cast two ballots, one for a constituency seat elected by a straight plurality ballot known as the first-past-the-post system, and the other for...